Nursery Worker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
Trees and Shrubs.
Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays):
Weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Use power equipment including but not limited to: tractors, planters, mowers, plows, sprayers, cultivators, power shears, chain saws, high lifts, fork lifts, skid loaders. Must operate agricultural equipment safely, with or without direction. Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Mix and apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions.

Plant, cultivate, harvest, cut, bale, pot, stake, and bamboo trees. Plant seedlings or ‘liners' by hand (including riding and inserting liners in a mechanical planter) using mattock or dibble. Prepare trees for digging by tying or wrapping as necessary. Hand dig trees with shovel or tree spade. Selects trees for cutting according to markings, size, species and grade. Cut trees using axe or chain saw. Drag cut trees from cutting area. Runs trees through tree baler. Inventory and grade trees. Must follow supervisor's instructions on pruning/shearing. Shear trees with proper taper and bud cut angle for quality.

Work is done in the field for long periods of time. Workers may assist in handling product weighing up to 60 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet. Workers must work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking.

Work required in fields when plants are wet with dew and rain, and may be required during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours can range from 10 to over 100 degrees F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job.
Workers should be able to do the work required with or without reasonable accommodations.

Supervisor(s) will provide instructions and directions to workers. Workers must be able to comprehend and follow instructions and communicate effectively to supervisors. Unusual, complex or non-routine activities will be supervised. Workers expected to perform basic duties in a timely and proficient manner without close supervision.

Employer-paid post-hire random and post-accident drug testing required.

Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer.
Job opportunity is Skill Level I. All primary duties are entry-level and require close supervision and/or a short demonstration of the task by a more experienced worker.

Secondary duties (performed on less than half of the workdays in the contract period):
Workers with a clean driving record (no major moving violations such as but not limited to Driving While Intoxicated or Reckless Driving) and able to obtain an insurable driver's license may drive company vehicles. Workers with appropriate licenses and a valid doctor's certificate may transport other workers.

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker's Sabbath or federal holidays. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 1 month of verifiable commercial agricultural field work experience, preferably working in a commercial tree and shrub farm or vegetable farm handling both manual and mechanized tasks including ball and burlap field harvesting associated with production of trees and shrubs. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire random and post-accident drug testing required. Workers with appropriate licenses may drive company vehicles.